VT Nuke Plant Had 2nd Fewest Region Safety Faults

The federal Government Accountability Office says the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant had the second fewest number of safety violations in the Northeast from 2000 to 2012 among facilities with only one reactor.

The GAO reports the plant, which is owned by Entergy Nuclear, had three higher-level violations and 103 lower-level violations over the 12 years.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the report before its release.

New Hampshire's Seabrook had the lowest number of total violations, 88. The most, 178, were at the Hope Creek plant in Hancocks Bridge, N.J.

The GAO study shows the number of safety violations at U.S. nuclear power plants varies dramatically from region to region, pointing to inconsistent enforcement in an industry now operating mostly beyond its original 40-year licenses.